The Question
by O2Shea
Summary: Edward and a pregnant Bella have returned from Isle Esme. The family is divided on that issue, but mostly they have some concerns and a question for Edward. BD AU


Edward could feel their eyes on him ever since he and Bella returned from Isle Esme. It wasn't like he couldn't hear their thoughts… all asking the same thing.

He saw almost nothing of Alice after returning home. She greeted him and Bella with hugs and then whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry. I can't see anything… Really… Not anything. And I have headaches all the time." As soon as they reached the house she ran upstairs.

Jasper looked after her with concern. "We don't know what's goin' on, Edward. I've never seen the like. Since when do vampires get headaches? Carlisle thinks someone may be blockin' her, but he's not sure. Anyway, she won't be able to help you with any information…" He saw Edward's stricken expression and, correctly, interpreted it in several ways. Shaking his head, he responded like a brother, "Maybe Emmett and I can help you find what you need on the internet…."

"Thank you," Edward responded to Jasper's offer, but his eyes were haunted.

Emmett, happily clunking his way downstairs, reached the bottom and threw an arm around each of them. "Heck, yeah! We'll be the research team while Carlisle and the women take care of Bella. We're going to have ourselves a healthy baby and Bella's going to be just fine!"

He released them and started hauling Bella's luggage upstairs.

"I can do that," Edward said, just a moment too late.

Emmett called back. "I've got it. Rose's orders…. You just get your own."

Turning back to Jasper, Edward asked, "What is he on?"

Jasper was shaking his head. When Edward raised an eyebrow at him, he explained, "That's the way Rose sees it, so that's Emmett's party line too." He clapped a hand onto Edward's shoulder. "Edward, if it's there, we'll find it."

"And if there's nothing to find?"

Jasper met his gaze. "There will be. I just don't know what."

"I wish Alice could just tell us…"

"No! She can't, Edward, and I won't have her pushed. This is hard enough on her. Alice loves both you and Bella… and she's used to helpin' you. Don't you know that she'd already be workin' on it if she could? Whatever is goin' on, for now she just can't do it."

Edward's brown furrowed in thought. "You said she might be blocked? The wolves mess with her vision. Maybe…."

Jasper was already shaking his head. "Not like this… not with headaches. And they haven't been anywhere around us since your weddin'."

Edward started to move his luggage and heard the question for the first time.

He picked up his bags and met Jasper's eyes. "Never."

Jasper responded quietly. "Good to know."

He could hear the same question is Alice's mind from her bedroom where she frantically sketched clothing designs, trying to be creative even though her head felt like it was inside a gong. So Edward told Jasper, "Tell Alice she doesn't need to worry; it won't happen."

"I'll tell her." Jasper's response was as measured as his gaze. "Edward… it's good to have you both back home… in any case."

A very brief smile crossed his brother's lips. "Thank you." He had all of his luggage in hand and headed upstairs with it.

When he reached his room – their room, his and Bella's – he found that she was already in a nightgown and sitting up in bed as Rosalie brushed her hair.

Rose ignored him, telling Bella, "You need to relax and let us pamper you."

But, again, Edward heard the question. Rephrased and delivered with a nasty sneer, but the expectation was still there. So he responded to it.

"Forget it, Rose. If you are a partner in this, it's just going to get really crowded, but I won't be nudged out. I have more rights here than anyone besides Bella."

Emmett had entered the room just behind Edward, just to make sure the violence between his brother and his wife remained limited to words. The same question flitted through his mind, though Emmett sheepishly tried to overlay it with the latest Mariners' scores.

Edward shook his head at him as he exited the room. He headed for Carlisle's study.

Carlisle and Esme were in the middle of a rather heated discussion. "She wants this baby, Carlisle. It is a miracle… and it is her right to determine her course."

"Esme, this pregnancy could kill her. I can't bear it if he has waited all this time to find his mate and be happier than I've _ever_ seen him… only to lose her to this kind of nonsense…" Carlisle was uncharacteristically bitter.

Esme drew herself up to her full stature. "It may be nonsense to _you_ but, as someone who actually _was_ a human mother, I can assure you that the desire to have a child can become everything. Bella wants to keep her child." There was finality in her tone as she swept out of the room and met Edward in the doorway. She reached up to touch his face. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. We will all do our best to take care of both Bella and your baby." She called back, "Won't we, Carlisle?"

She waited long enough for him to respond favorably before continuing on her way to the room the newlyweds shared. As she retreated, Edward heard the familiar question in her mind.

He entered the study and faced a decidedly less calm Carlisle than usual. "I'm sorry, Carlisle. I didn't mean to turn our family into two camps."

Carlisle nodded and said, "Considering the extreme nature of both outlooks, I don't think it could have been avoided, son."

The same question was in his mind and Edward was getting tired of hearing it. He wondered if it was in Bella's mind too. Of course, he couldn't _hear _her thoughts, but that didn't mean she wasn't thinking what everyone else seemed to be.

"Carlisle, we need to have a family meeting. It does not have to last long, but there is something important that needs to be cleared up."

His father met his sharp gaze and nodded. "Let's go. I'm not sure Alice is up to it, but…"

"Alice too, if she would…" Edward was firm.

Minutes later all of the Cullens except Bella had gathered around the dining table. Edward asked, "Where is Bella?"

Rosalie tossed her head. "I wasn't going to wake her up for some silly family meeting. It isn't going to change anything, Edward. We all know what sides we are on in this."

"Yes, we do," he answered. "This meeting is not about Bella's pregnancy at all."

"No?" Rose smirked.

"No." He was firm. He turned to Carlisle. "I would like to know why everyone is asking how long I'm going to stay… as if it was a foregone conclusion that I wouldn't."

Esme spoke, "Edward, you ran away soon after Carlisle and I married. You said it was because you wanted to try living as a vampire was meant to… on human blood. But you and Carlisle had been together for a while. If you had wanted to leave for that reason you would already have done so. You left because you could not adjust readily to the changes in relationships going on around you. I'm just thankful that you finally returned."

"That's not true," Edward countered. "I…"

"What about the first day you saw Bella and you were so attracted to her blood that you ran all the way to Alaska in an attempt to escape it?" Emmett asked. "Of course, you weren't gone long; you came right back." He looked around the table. "Well, he did."

"Yes, well, thank you, Emmett," Edward said. "If I hadn't…"

"We know," said Alice wearily and Edward wished he hadn't insisted that she join them. "Then there was the time after Bella's birthday party." She looked at Jasper briefly. "I know you don't like to speak about it, but it's important here. _You_ decided we were all a danger to her and had to leave. You made the entire family run that time. And Edward? You didn't even stay with us. You ran again… to Brazil."

"Followed by the run to Italy and the Volturi," Jasper added. "That stunt not only almost got _you_ killed, but endangered Alice and Bella."

Edward was starting to see where they were coming from with their questions… but couldn't they see that everything was different now?

The sneer on Rosalie's face was reflected in her voice, "You're a runner, Edward. So how long will it be before you take off this time?"

"Enough, Rose," Carlisle shot her down. "Edward, this is another huge change in your life… and one that we hope will have a positive resolution. But we can't guarantee it and Alice can't see it… so we are concerned about your stability."

"You don't have to be concerned about that!" Edward insisted.

"Why not?" asked Jasper.

A voice spoke from the doorway as Bella entered the room. "Because he loves me and I'm _here_," Bella answered as she took her seat. She looked around the table, noticing the strained atmosphere. "Tell me… when was I voted out of this family?"

"You weren't," her husband answered. He took Bella's hand and spoke directly to her. "I wanted you here all along, but I was a bit concerned that you might be questioning me along with everyone else here."

"Oh, no," Bella smiled into his eyes. "I didn't have any question… because I knew the answer."


End file.
